


Judgment

by aperfectpearl (dimensionhoppingrose)



Category: Steven Universe - Fandom
Genre: Alone Together Spoilers, Pearl belonged to White theory, Spoilers for Diamond Days, Swap Theory, slight whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-02 12:32:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17264285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dimensionhoppingrose/pseuds/aperfectpearl
Summary: In the aftermath of the ball, Pearl faces her worst fears.





	Judgment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PearlDefiance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PearlDefiance/gifts).



> Hey so swap theory half confirmed amirite? SPOILERS for Diamond Days up to the latest episode, Alone Together.
> 
> For PearlDefiance, because I told her if she worked, I would post this fic XD

A gasp, and she was back in a flash of light. Her head snapped up, eyes darting back and forth as she tried to take in her surroundings. There was no time to even scrutinize her outfit.

“Amethyst, Garnet--!”

“Don’t bother.” The two words send a shiver up Pearl’s spine, cutting her off before she could yell for Steven or Connie. “They’re far away right now.”

Pearl looked forward again, her feeling like entire world had just crashed around her ears. There was a slight figure standing in front of her, dressed in white and gray and black, the one spotlight overhead washing her out. The cracks stood out vividly against her marble skin.

“ _Pink_!” Because she was always Pink. Always. Pearl jerked forward, and pain ran through her arms and shoulders. She looked back to see she was being restrained with energy shackles. She looked back at the other Pearl, eyes wide.

“White,” she greeted Pearl evenly. “Or do you prefer _Renegade_ now?”

“What did she do to you?” Pearl asked desperately. She hadn’t been cracked like that when Pearl and Rose had left Homeworld. She hadn’t been… broken like this.

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” Pink continued, as if Pearl hadn’t really spoken. “Don’t worry, we’ll get to answers. We have plenty of time.”

“ _She’s_ late. _Again.”_

_Pearl dared to crack one eye open to look at the Diamonds towering over her. Yellow looked annoyed, as always. Blue seemed slightly exasperated. And White was… as emotionless as ever._

_A burst of giggles reach their ears, and every head turned just in time to see Pink Diamond coming around the corner, her pearl riding on her shoulder._

“ _Pink!” Yellow bursts out, exasperated, while Yellow and Pearl roll their eyes and turn back to their at rest positions. “Honestly, what have we told you about prancing about like that? Your pearl is here to_ serve _you, not to be your toy!”_

“ _Oh come on, Yellow.” Pink huffed as her pearl hurriedly jumped down and saluted. “What’s the point of having her around if I can’t enjoy myself?”_

“ _Because that’s not what pearls are for,” Blue explained patiently. “Come along, now, we were supposed to start our meeting ten minutes ago.”_

_Pink sighed dramatically, following the other Diamonds. All four pearls held their salutes until the doors closed behind them. “Such a sight,” Yellow sniffs, rolling her eyes. “You’re an embarrassment to the rest of us, you know that right?”_

“ _My Diamond is happy!” Pink protests, frowning. “Isn’t that all that matters?”_

 

“ _As servants to the Diamonds, the four of us are expected to set an example for the rest of the Homeworld pearls,” Pearl replied evenly. “You can’t go prancing around with Pink Diamond as if you have no decorum.”_

“ _I don’t care what the rest of Homeworld thinks. As long as Pink is happy.” Even Blue’s mouth fell open as they all turned to face Pink again. “What?”_

“Never _,” Pearl said in a low voice, “ever refer to your Diamond in such a manner. It’s disrespectful. You know that.”_

“ _But she said I could!”_

“ _Unbelievable,” Yellow muttered, lips twisted in disgust. “I can’t even imagine… so informal...”_

“ _It’s a travesty,” Pearl agreed, shaking her head._

“ _She’s an embarrassment.”_

“ _I can hear you,” Pink said sulkily._

“ _Then maybe you should listen and learn._ ”

“Pink.” Pearl’s voice cracked in fear. “Please, you have to listen to me.”

“Mmm.” Pink hummed, tilting her head just slightly. “Isn’t that funny. You spent thousands of years trying to make me _listen_ to you. And look where we’ve ended up. How far the mighty fall.”

Pearl opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by a sharp twinge of pain in her head. She recoiled, curling into herself and pressing her forehead into her knees. _Remember your place,_ a voice echoed in the back of her head. A very familiar voice. Pearl shook off the pain, raising her head to see Pink still standing over her with the same emotionless smile. Nothing like the bright, vibrant gem Pearl had once known, in another lifetime.

“What did she do to you?” she whispered again, tears filling her eyes.

“Now, now,” Pink sang, smile widening. “No tears. No emotions. We set an _example_ , remember? You _certainly_ set an example for Pink Diamond.”

“It wasn’t – I didn’t mean for it to go that far!” Pearl half-yelled. “Nothing was ever supposed to go this far.”

“And yet, it did. Are you taking responsibility for all of it?”

“I...”

The haze was back. Pearl wavered slightly, shaking her head. It had been happening since they had landed on Homeworld – the haze, the feeling to just _obey_ , to stop thinking, to give in to it all and do what she was told…

 _To be a pearl_.

“ _No_ ,” Pearl gritted out, fists clenching until she could feel her nails in her skin. “Pink Diamond made her choice. She did what she wanted, just like always. You know as well as I do she didn’t let _anyone_ influence her, _White Diamond_.”

The smile on the pearl’s face grew. “Oh, you always were too smart for your own good. A perfect little servant, but far too smart.”

“What did you do to her?” Pearl felt sick. White was controlling her pearl. Of _course_ she was. How had she not immediately realized when she saw the pearl?

“I made her perfect.” White Diamond sounded pleased with herself. “More perfect than even you.”

“You _broke_ her.”

Sharp pain drilled into Pearl’s head again and she gasped, curling in tight on herself once more. _Don’t feel guilty for too long_ , the voice – _White’s voice_ – said. _You’ll be joining her soon. I could do so much with a pearl who knows how to fight._

“Get… _out_ ,” Pearl hissed, eyes squeezed shut. “I don’t serve _you_ anymore.”

“You will,” White said, smiling wide. “I understand that you’re confused. You’ve had six-thousand years of freedom. Pink really does have a way of with pearls, doesn’t she?”

“ _No!”_

_Pink scooped up her pearl, clutching her tight to her chest. “You can’t take her! I won’t let you!”_

“ _Starlight.” White Diamond sighed, shaking her head. “You’re making a spectacle of yourself. You need a_ proper _pearl to make you look good.”_

“ _So I have to take_ yours _?” Pink held her pearl tighter. “I like my pearl! I don’t want yours, she’s_ weird _.”_

“ _No, she’s what a pearl should be,” White said patiently. “Please don’t make this difficult, Pink. You’ll be better off, I promise.”_

“ _You’re not taking her!”_

_White stepped forward, and Pearl quietly stepped to the side, eyes on the floor, hands clasped in front of her. She didn’t watch what happened next, but she heard it all. She heard Pink and her pearl scream, and then Pink yelling, “No!” over and over as White Diamond stepped away, a crying pearl presumably in her hands now._

“ _Pearl?” White Diamond spoke over the noise. Pearl straightened up, saluting._

“ _Yes, my Diamond?”_

“ _You’re in Pink Diamond’s service now. Be good.”_

“ _Yes, my Diamond.”_

_White left with the squirming pearl in her hand, and Pearl turned back to look at Pink Diamond, who was on her knees, crying into her hands._

Pearl glared up at Pink – at _White Diamond_. “I don’t serve you,” she informed the diamond icily. “And I won’t be your puppet.”

The pearl finally broke her stance as she laughed, stretching one arm out to press a finger against Pearl’s gem. Fire ran through her gem, and she screamed, jerking back and slamming her head into the wall behind her.

“You don’t serve me _yet_. But you will soon. Don’t worry.”


End file.
